EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN PRISONERS: BENEFITS AND BARRIERS

AUTHOR – MS. KUHELI MITRA** & DR. RAJVARDHAN**,

*PHD (LAW) RESEARCH SCHOLAR, SCHOOL OF LAW & JURISPRUDENCE, SHRI VENKATESHWARA UNIVERSITY, GAJRAULA, U.P.

**ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF LAW & JURISPRUDENCE, SHRI VENKATESHWARA UNIVERSITY, GAJRAULA, U.P

BEST CITATION – MS. KUHELI MITRA & DR. RAJVARDHAN, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN PRISONERS: BENEFITS AND BARRIERS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 4 (2) OF 2024, PG. 979-983, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344

Abstract

Education serves as a critical tool for personal development and societal reintegration, especially for incarcerated women who face unique challenges. This paper explores the transformative potential of educational programs within women’s prisons, emphasizing the multifaceted benefits such as reduced recidivism, enhanced employment prospects, and improved mental health. Despite these advantages, women prisoners encounter significant barriers to accessing education, including institutional constraints, gender-specific challenges, and societal stigmatization. Through a review of existing literature and successful case studies like the Bard Prison Initiative and the Goucher Prison Education Partnership, this paper underscores the necessity of tailored educational programs and increased support to overcome these barriers. Policy recommendations include increased funding, gender-responsive educational initiatives, and collaboration with external institutions to ensure comprehensive and equitable access to education for incarcerated women.

Keywords: Women prisoners, Correctional education, Rehabilitation, Gender-responsive programs, recidivism.